Champions steal the night light at jet sprint

Champions steal the night light at jet sprint season pre-final

Saturday night’s penultimate round of the six round 2012 Jetpro Jetsprint Championship saw double world champions Leighton and Kellie Minnell along with Reg and Julie Smith win their respective classes at Wanganui’s Shelter View Jet Sprint Track – held under lights.

Setting fastest time overall, Wanganui based Minnell’s, competing in the Suzuki Superboat category, topped the timesheets with a 46.27sec around the 25-turn course. Second fastest was fellow local’s Pat Dillon and navigator Steve Edmonds, followed by Steve Bron and Jared Fletcher.
The win puts the newly crowned World Series champions the Minnell’s well ahead of second placed Rob Coley in the point standings, after Coley damaged his boat in a heavy impact during the early eliminations.

“It was challenging – as the nights are,” said Minnell. “It takes a while to get yourself attuned to it and then you’re away.

“We were rapt when they ran the fifth qualifier as we had a fuel pressure drop off earlier so it gave us a chance to do a bit of marrying up of parts to get it through the night.

“Now we’ve done the hard yards. Our next goal is win the final round and take the title having clean-swept the season – that’s something that’s never been done before we believe.

Similarly, Taupo’s Reg and Julie Smith’s time of 50.48sec put them atop the Whitepointer Boats Group A category and in to the series lead. Their third round win of the season, following winning the World Series Group A title in February, leaves them with a one point lead heading in to the series final round at the end of the month.

“It’s quite a feat racing in the dark. I was a bit worried I have to admit,” said Smith after re-taking the lead he claimed early in the season. “After that first qualifier in the dark I really thought about just parking it up. But as it got darker it got better under lights.”

Previous title leader Sam Newdick from Hamilton looked to have an early end to his evening when he struck engine woes in the second qualifier. Able to continue thanks to the loan of boats by Blake Briant and Blair Gibbard, Newdick progressed in to the top-five eliminations, eventually finishing fourth.

“That’s twice now Sam has ended up with engine problems,” continued Smith. “And it’s costing him dearly. It’s a real shame, but that’s part of the deal isn’t it really.

“So we have ended up with a situation that if he wins the final we will be tied and it will count back to how many seconds we have recorded. I’ve got to come at least second to be sure of the title – so it’s pretty interesting, particularly if Richard Murray jumps in there and wins the round. That would fair screw it up.”

Wanganui’s Gerry Linklater and navigator Hayden Wilson won the Jetpro Lites category after consistently setting fastest time in the elimination heats. The duo, complete with a snappy lighting package had a comfortable night under lights, setting a time in the final 1.5sec faster than championship leader Denis and Steve Crene from Whangarei. Assisted by Piopio’s Brett Thompson and Whangamata based Ray Thompson self-eliminating, Crene has taken a slender two point lead for the title out to 12.

Competing in idyllic weather conditions; the growing popularity of the evening event was illustrated by a greater crowd of spectators than organisers anticipated. Mild temperatures and clear weather highlighted the additional illumination many competitors added to their boats. Lites competitor Patrick Hayden in particular scored crowd interest with his arrangement of glowsticks to mirror the Mohawk styling atop his driver helmet.

Despite the challenge of racing under lights the only real casualty was Rob Coley who severely damaged the rear of his boat as he was about to finish what appeared a perfect run. Other off-track instances were rectified by pushing the boat back in to the water channel so the team could carry on to the finish.

Teams now focus on the sixth and final round for the three-category 2012 jet sprint boating competition. Being held at Featherston’s Tauherinikau race course, it will be the third visit for many to the permanent aqua track this season and will be run on Saturday 21 April.

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A win at home for Wanganui’s Gerry Linklater and Hayden Wilson came easily at Saturday evening’s fifth and penultimate round of the 2012 Jetpro Jetsprint championship with the pair fastest team in the Jetpro Lites category. Photo: Ian Thornton. http://www.jetpro.co.nz/media/r5/847JS12-Rd4W

Taupo’s Reg and Julie Smith have scored their third round win of the season under the lights at Wanganui’s Shelter View Jet Sprint Track to re-take the lead of the Whitepointer Boats Group A category of the 2012 Jetpro Jetsprint Championship. Photo: Ian Thornton. http://www.jetpro.co.nz/media/r5/769JS12-Rd4W

Extending their lead in the Suzuki Superboat category of the 2012 Jetpro Jetsprint Championship, Wanganui’s Leighton and Kellie Minnell took a comfortable win under lights at the series fifth and penultimate round held near their home town. Photo: Ian Thornton. http://www.jetpro.co.nz/media/r5/855JS12-Rd4W

Times, round five 2012 Jetpro Jetsprint Championship
Suzuki Superboats – top three times
1, Leighton Minnell/Kellie Minnell, Wanganui, 46.27sec
2, Pat Dillon/Steve Edmonds, Wanganui, 48.47sec
3, Steve Bron/Jared Fletcher, Wanganui, 52.03sec

Whitepointer Boats Group A – top three times
1, Reg Smith/Julie Smith, Taupo, 50.48sec
2, Richard Murray/Kesty Manning, Wanganui, 51.26sec
3, Shane Wood/Hamish Riddell, Lower Hutt, 52.11sec

Jetpro Lites – top three times
1, Gerry Linklater/Hayden Wilson, Wanganui, 54.87sec
2, Denis Crene/Steve Crene, Whangarei, 56.41sec
3, Tim Edhouse/Debbie Edhouse, Owhango, 73.84sec

2012 Jetpro Jetsprint championship points (after round five top-three)
Jetpro Lites Drivers
1, 20, Denis Crene, Whangarei, 144
2, 2NZ, Brett Thompson, Piopio, 132
3, 7, Gery Linklater, Wanganui, 129

Whitepointer Boats Group A Drivers
1, 1NZ, Reg Smith, Taupo, 144
2, 50, Sam Newdick, Hamilton, 143
3, 43, Richard Murray, Wanganui, 140

Suzuki Superboat Drivers
1,NZ1, Leighton Minnell, Wanganui, 150
2,111, Rob Coley, Wanganui, 130
3, 69, Steve Bron, Wanganui, 129

2012 Jetpro Jetsprinting Calendar
Sunday 4 December 2011 - Meremere
Tuesday 27 December 2011 - Wanganui
Sunday 22 January 2012 - Featherston
Sunday 4 March 2012 - Hastings
Saturday 31 March 2012 - Wanganui (under lights)
Saturday 21 April 2012 - Featherston (finals)

ends

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